Observers: Debby Parker
Email: j.parkeratcebridge.net
Date: 06/13/2007
Time: 04:31 PM -0400
Nik & Nik's had some interesting birds today with a mid-sized sterna looking like a breeding plumaged Forster's Tern, showing a orangish-red long bill with a substantial black tip. The black of the crown continued to below the eye and down the nape to the mantle. The cheek was pure white. The wings,primaries and back were a medium gray which continued to the tail tip and which seemed to extend beyond the wingtips. In flight and while diving into the pond, a dark narrow wedge was seen on the trailing edge of the underwing. This tern was in the large pond just north of the workyard and easily seen with a scope. The Franklin's Gulls were on the shore and were also scoped. These black-hooded gulls had huge bright white eye arcs, with the black of the hood not continuing down the nape to the back as in the Forster's Tern above. The bill was reddish with white at the wingtips (Fancy Franklin's). Two adult Caspian Terns flew over also. Two immature large gulls flew over and went unidentified! One photo taken. Two Ring-billed Gulls also present. Ducks too and Spotted Sandpiper.
